Measures to improve the Environmental Condition of Nepal

The measures to improve the environmental condition of Nepal are as follows:

A. Improving Air Quality

• Enforcement of environmental laws
• Awareness, education and advocacy on health impacts of air pollution
• Promotion of cleaner/safer and environmental friendly vehicles
• Promotion of non-motorized vehicles and public transport through better services and discouraging use of fossil fuels
• Scientific traffic management with incorporated vehicle monitoring
• Separate residential area away from industrial areas
• Cleaner production and energy efficiency in industries
• Promotion of safer kitchen with proper ventilation
• Need to enforce air quality standard guideline 2009
• Need to conduct epidemiological studies on health impact of air pollution in both urban and rural areas
• Need to conduct routine air quality monitoring in Kathmandu valley and on other major urban areas for time series data

B. Improving Water Quality

• Wider sanitation coverage for both rural and urban areas
• Enforcement of water quality surveillance as per National Drinking Water Quality Standard 2009
• Promote awareness water conservation and use of water saving equipment
• Promote rainwater harvesting
• Meeting the demand for drinking water in terms of both quantity and quality

C. Solid Waste Management

• Decrease ambiguity of laws and policies and define roles and mandates for responsible authorities
• Strategies to reduce wastes at the service level (household, industries, hospitals, etc.)
• Waste collection following certain categorization and respective disposal models
• The need for clear and specific strategy and legislation for industrial and medical waste management
• Promote reusing, recycling and composting of wastes

D. Tackling Climate Change

• Mainstream climate change issues in developing plans
• Need integrated disease surveillance system in the country
• Adoption programs for health sector need to be identified 
• Need of research on climate change and health in Nepal in terms of impact, vulnerability and adaptation